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Generational differences can be engaging topics for memes and conversations, but utilizing them in the workplace without a critical perspective can be risky. Statements like “Oh, generation (add any) is lazy or not loyal or egocentric” are popular but problematic for several reasons. First, they assume every individual in a specific generation cohort shares the same characteristic, independent of their other identities and context. Second, these statements can oversimplify complex behaviors and reinforce biased stereotypes. Last, they can serve as an excuse for organizations not to invest in their employees’ development.Recently, some colleagues and I reviewed the research on generational differences. Our findings confirmed my concerns; studies discussing and comparing generational characteristics are inconsistent. Although generational differences are a trendy topic, the scientific foundation for these distinctions remains wobbly.Is it your generation or your age? According to research, the answer to this question is likely both. Many studies identifying characteristics of generational groups fail to account for the effect of age and life stage. For example, perhaps people in early career stages often seek growth, whether they’re Gen Z today or Gen X two decades ago. Likewise, individuals with caregiving responsibilities may prioritize having flexibility independent of their generational cohort.Are all millennials the same? What about boomers, Xers, and Gen Z? Most existing research was conducted in North America and Europe, primarily with white-collar professionals. So, the answer to this question is likely no. Generations are not a monolithic block; work preferences and values are shaped by individuals’ identities, like gender, race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status. Generations are formed through shared historical events and socio-cultural contexts experienced during individuals’ formative years. Thus, individuals who grew up in different regions of the world will likely have differences in their work values and preferences. The experiences of a Gen Y woman in Indonesia may vary significantly from those of a Gen Y man in the US, despite belonging to the same generational cohort.What does this mean for talent development? For talent development professionals, designing programs based solely on generational traits can be misleading. Broader categories, like generations, can be helpful to frame workforce diversity on certain occasions; nevertheless, using generations as the only aspect when designing and implementing learning and development initiatives may lead to excessive generalization and overlooking the relevant needs of specific groups. Some strategies might help to reduce these risks:Mind your language – Use generational labels cautiously in organizational communications, weighing the benefits against the risk of reinforcing stereotypes.Collect internal data – Relying on generalizations can lead to one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, gather data on your workforce’s preferences and values to design meaningful development programs.Adopt a critical perspective and consider the intersections – Consider how generational cohorts interact with other social identities and contexts, like gender, marital and caregiving status, culture, and educational background.Be cautious with generative AI tools – Be aware of the risks of reinforcing generational stereotypes through biased AI-generated data. Talent analytics should help uncover individual needs, not lump people into rigid categories. While generational thinking offers a familiar framework, it’s not a complete solution for understanding workforce behavior. In an increasingly diverse, global, and complex workplace, talent development strategies must move beyond reductive labels. Embracing nuance and grounding programs in rigorous research can help TD professionals design interventions that are both effective and equitable. 

The Trouble With Generation Discourse—Insights From Research

Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving rapidly. The danger? Most of our systems are still running on their default settings with flawed data, pre-programmed values, outdated assumptions, and invisible biases woven into the code.As technology continues to accelerate, learning and development (L&D) leaders need to embrace a different kind of leadership that meets the demands of the future of work. We need leaders who are both tech-savvy and people-first. We need inclusive leaders. Inclusive leadership values diversity, encourages collaboration, and fosters an environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute in unique ways. While AI systems learn from the past and are optimized for speed, inclusive leaders learn from feedback and will gradually shape the future. Inclusive leadership requires three essential components:Time to pause, challenge assumptions, and avoid rolling out biases at scaleUnderstanding of how exclusion shows up in data, tools, and organizational cultureAccountability for when automation misses the mark, create systems of oversight, and fix issues transparently before trust erodesThese aren’t just soft skills; they’re survival skills in the age of intelligent systems. Inclusive leadership isn’t just for those with C-suite titles. It’s for everyone bold enough to question whether the current ways of operating the business are harnessing the full potential of a diverse workforce. This might look like asking:Is this resume screening tool filtering out candidates from nontraditional backgrounds?Did we include perspectives from ERG members in the rollout’s design?What assumptions were made in assessing “high potential” at scale?Leading with purpose doesn’t require authority. Culture starts to shift when people at every level challenge automation, audit biases, and demand better conditions with intention.Inclusive Leadership Means Resetting the DefaultsThe thing about default settings is they’re fast, familiar, and almost always designed by someone else. The tools we rely on were trained on historical data. That means the “default” settings often serve the past, not the future. If the past was exclusionary, how can we ensure that we’re not making the future exclusionary, just at a faster rate? Inclusive leaders notice when defaults are outdated, inequitable, or just plain wrong and have the courage to change them.If your organization’s leadership programs aren’t preparing people to lead through ethical uncertainty, tech disruption, and cultural complexity, they’re not future-ready. Here are five ways to lead the change and develop inclusive leaders in the age of AI at your organization:1. Make inclusive leadership the default, not an add-on. Make it the foundation of your leadership development curriculum, not in a bonus module. Do this by incorporating: Case studies on exclusion in AIExercises that uncover unconscious bias in tools and decisionsScenarios that challenge “default” thinking2. Train leaders to spot what’s missing. Help leaders recognize where exclusion shows up in systems, data, and decisions. Arm them with the right questions, including:Who is benefiting from implementing this and who might it harm?Who is being left out and how can we include them?Do we have the tools and systems in place for oversight?3. Build in accountability. Redefine and model what “good” leadership looks like with the following actions:Own unintended impacts from exclusive practices.Create feedback loops with ERGs and cross-functional teams.Lead transparently when automation stumbles.Adjust or remove tools that do more harm than good.4. Make psychological safety a leadership imperative. Train leaders on how to foster environments where teams feel safe questioning automated decisions and voicing concerns. Creating a “speak-up culture” is the foundation for ethical and effective tech use.5. Partner with DEI, tech teams, and legal not in silos. The future of leadership doesn’t live in a single function. When inclusive leadership and ethical AI implementation are developed together, they stop being a few people’s jobs and start becoming everyone’s responsibility.Lead With IntentionAI is changing how we work, but how we lead will determine for whom we innovate, and with what consequences. The future doesn’t need faster leaders; it needs wiser, courageous, self-aware, and empathetic ones. Let’s develop leaders who pause for people, listen for bias, and build for belonging. That’s how we lead beyond the algorithm: with time, understanding, and healthy doses of accountability. And maybe a little less trust in the “default settings.”

Resetting the Defaults: Developing Inclusive Leaders in the Age of AI

By expanding the definition of diversity and incorporating intersectionality, leaders stay true to DEI’s roots of creating workplaces and communities where everyone thrives.

The Table of Diversity: Maximizing Impact Using a Chemistry-Inspired Framework

While neurodivergence is an individualized experience, here are some guidelines that help a significant number of ND individuals. 

Neurodiversity Coaching: Enhancing Well-Being for Employees With ADHD + Beyond

As the global economy continues to shift, CEOs face myriad challenges. Three key issues dominate their thoughts: attracting and retaining top talent, developing the next generation of leaders, and maintaining an engaged workforce. These interconnected issues highlight the need for a robust and future-forward leadership strategy. Let’s dive deeper into these concerns and explore actionable solutions, including strategies for uncovering untapped leadership potential within organizations.Attracting and Retaining Top TalentThe battle for talent has never been more competitive. Organizations are vying for skilled employees in a tight labor market. This need is complicated because workers seek purpose, flexibility, and growth opportunities in addition to competitive compensation.How to address this concern:Align Organizational Goals and Employee Values: When there is clear alignment between personal values and company mission, employees are more likely to stay engaged and committed. Leaders should articulate the "why" behind the organization's work and ensure it resonates.Leverage TKRs: Clear and measurable goals need to align across teams and foster clarity and motivation. TKRs help employees understand their contributions to broader company success.Plan for a Diverse Talent Pipeline: Companies with strong leadership pipelines show 22 percent more women leaders and 36 percent greater diversity in backgrounds. By intentionally cultivating a diverse bench, organizations can uncover hidden potential and create a stronger, more resilient team.Developing the Next Generation of LeadersSuccession planning and leadership development are critical, especially as leadership benches become leaner. 33 percent of HR respondents anticipate a growing need to develop internal talent. Many companies, however, struggle to identify potential leaders.How to address this concern:Surface Potential Earlier and More Broadly: Traditional markers of leadership potential often miss key talent, especially in hybrid and remote workforces. Utilizing digital assessments can help uncover high-potential employees who may otherwise go unnoticed.Create Dynamic Success Profiles: Defining key leadership competencies for critical roles—and revisiting them as organizational strategies evolve—ensures development programs stay relevant. Leaders cultivated with such dynamic profiles in mind are better prepared to step into new roles.Prioritize Virtual Leadership Skills: With the ubiquity of remote teams, companies must equip leaders with tools to identify and develop talent virtually. Such investment is especially critical for maintaining engagement and collaboration across dispersed teams.Maintaining an Engaged WorkforceEngagement fuels productivity, innovation, and retention, but only a fraction of employees feel truly connected to their work. For CEOs, this is a pressing concern that demands immediate attention.How to address this concern:Enhance Clarity Through Communication: Employees need to understand the purposes and goals of their work. Explaining the “why” behind decisions and tying them to long-term strategies fosters a shared sense of purpose.Foster a Culture of Recognition and Feedback: Employees who feel valued are more engaged. Regular feedback loops and recognition programs are essential for building strong culture.Build Psychological Safety: Employees perform best when they feel safe expressing ideas, taking risks, and admitting mistakes. Leaders should create an environment where collaboration thrives.Uncovering Hidden Leadership PotentialIn a tight labor market, organizations must rely on more than external hiring for leadership roles. Instead, they must look inward and develop existing talent.Key steps to surface internal leadership potential:Expand Leadership Scouting Efforts: Recognize that the greatest untapped leadership potential often resides in the lower ranks. Use unbiased assessments to identify high-potential employees across all levels.Diversify the Leadership Pipeline: Companies with diverse leadership pipelines see significant advantages in innovation and decision-making. Focus on recruiting and promoting from diverse candidate pools.Develop Virtual Capabilities: Strengthen leaders’ abilities to mentor and grow talent in virtual environments, ensuring they can connect with and cultivate potential in remote and hybrid teams.The Road AheadAttracting talent, developing leaders, and maintaining engagement are not isolated challenges; they are deeply interconnected. Lead in 30 provides a streamlined approach to leadership development by emphasizing clarity, alignment, and movement.By investing in tools and strategies that uncover hidden potential, foster engagement, and develop adaptive leadership skills, organizations can address pressing concerns and turn them into opportunities for long-term success.

What's Keeping CEO's Up at Night?

By adding the idea of belonging to DEI plans, organizations can take the next step to make the workplace more supportive and cohesive. 

Creating a Culture of Belonging

Just a couple years ago, companies were conducting hiring sprees, scooping up a seemingly unlimited supply of talent. Today, however, more talent professionals are asked to do more with less, while facing intense competition for individuals with the most business-critical skills. But this reset has given rise to a new way of thinking about talent—the skills-based transformation, in which candidates are hired, and internal talent developed, based on their unique skills and strengths.To make the skills-based transition successful, companies must ensure their talent acquisition (TA) and learning and development (L&D) teams work more closely together. This will be especially important since talent with key skills is harder to find than ever. According to Randstad Enterprise’s latest in-demand skills research, global hiring complexity for AI and automation skills is two times higher than average, while data analytics skills are 2.3 times higher.In this landscape, rather than always turning to recruiting external talent, consider how individuals with key skills—or at least the potential to learn them—may already be in the organization. But without insights and development plans from L&D, those high-potential employees, and their skill sets, may remain hidden. Along the same lines, when new talent is brought in, L&D should be involved as well, helping to ensure they continually learn and grow to develop the skills needed for the future.But for TA and L&D to collaborate most effectively, they must leverage the right data to help guide their decisions. With access to up-to-date talent intelligence—about the supply of skills both within your organization and outside it—TA and L&D teams gain the insights to better work together and ultimately ensure the company acquires the right skills.Identify the skills you need.Due to the growing use of AI, the skills companies need are changing constantly. With access to the right talent intelligence, companies can better predict the skills that will be most critical for their organizations today and into the future. And if talent with those skills is too difficult to find internally or externally, the data can help identify talent with the adjacent or transferable skills most indicative of success in attaining those needed skills. Once those skills are identified, TA and L&D can work together to determine the best way to acquire those skills, whether hiring externally or developing internal—or even external—talent.Build a skilled and diverse workforce.As part of the skills-based transformation, many organizations leverage talent intelligence to conduct skills mapping or create skills ontologies to better understand the skills already in the organization. Such insights can also reveal the individuals who show strong potential to learn the new skills that TA may be struggling to find externally. This approach is also helpful for enhancing workforce diversity and creating equity. With female talent largely under-represented in some of the most in-demand skills, like AI and automation, providing promising female employees with the right training and development can improve diversity while ensuring the company gains those needed skills.Understand the external talent market.Strong talent intelligence can help you find the best sources for the skills your organization needs. It can also uncover essential data about what those individuals are looking for in their next role, like salary expectations and desire to work remotely, so TA can be better positioned to attract and engage them. If talent with the exact skills can’t be found, TA can still hire based on the potential and inherent skills of the top candidates, working with L&D to create the development paths to fill those crucial gaps.Make smarter decisions with talent intelligence.While finding talent with the most in-demand skills may be challenging, companies that drive collaboration between their TA and L&D teams will be better positioned to identify the right people, or nurture promising talent to help them learn those skills. When guided by robust talent intelligence, the result is a streamlined approach to acquiring the skills needed immediately, while providing the training that keeps up with the skills needed for the future.Download Randstad’s latest in-demand skills research. See the supply and demand of the skills you need with the in-demand skills dashboard.

Why Talent Acquisition and L&D Must Work Together to Find Talent With Key Skills

An understanding of the need for better online accessibility has grown markedly in recent years, perhaps accelerated by the digital shift during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. Legislation in different parts of the world has also been a driver of awareness and action.Accessible learning is good for everyone.As an online activity, e-learning falls squarely within the scope of accessibility requirements. But whether you’re responding to a compliance deadline, pressure from customers, or a corporate commitment to diversity and inclusion, it’s well worth noting that designing training with accessibility in mind can enrich the learning experience for everyone, not just those with a defined disability. So, accessibility should be a priority for any L&D professional who wants to optimize the learning experience.Where to start?Unless your strategy is to invest in your own in-house accessibility expertise, the natural first step is to find the right partner to advise and assist you.First, they should understand the requirements of any legislation you need to comply with. Second, if you’re interested in more than compliance—because, let’s face it, ticking compliance boxes is not always the same as taking a best-practice approach— they’ll be able to explain different standards and what you could be doing to transform learning through accessibility improvements. There’s a difference, for example, between a basic screen reader experience, which may be good enough for compliance, and a great screen reader experience, which makes a real difference for usability.Third, they should be able to help you develop a roadmap and a plan to achieve your e-learning accessibility objectives.Consider remediation from the start.Every respectable accessibility improvement plan starts with an audit against the relevant standards to establish what accessibility gaps exist. Once these are identified, the next step is remediation—fixing the identified accessibility issues—so it’s worth considering from the start whether you want your accessibility partner to help you with this.If you’re happy to handle remediation in-house or through a different partner, then it won’t matter if the accessibility specialist you choose doesn’t have specific expertise with e-learning platforms, hosted assets, and content formats. But if you do expect to need their remediation support, it can be a big advantage if they are also e-learning specialists. Consider this carefully before making your choice—and don’t forget that accessibility covers both your e-learning platform and the training content that it holds.Consider the impact of localization.Hopefully, localization is part of your e-learning strategy, since L&D has a greater chance of success when it happens in the learner’s native language. But this means that accessibility testing must cover all the languages you localize into. Even if you’re applying the same accessibility standards across countries and languages (legislative differences may mean this isn’t the case), it simply doesn’t follow that if your e-learning is accessible in one language, it will automatically be accessible in any other.For example, what if your e-learning platform doesn’t accept voice commands in all of the languages you cater to? Or, what if the way you’ve handled forced line breaks for certain Asian languages causes real trouble for screen readers?When you’re choosing an accessibility partner, make sure that they cover all of the languages you need. If they’re helping you with remediation, they also need to know coding best practices that address the user experience from both a localization and accessibility point of view—not compromising one for the sake of the other.Another way that localization and accessibility can go hand in hand is that the right localization partner can make a big difference to your accessibility journey. For example, video accessibility might feel like a big hurdle to clear, but it isn’t if your localization partner also offers (multilingual) accessible content services such as closed captions, signed videos, audio descriptions, and descriptive transcripts.It's an ongoing process.E-learning accessibility isn’t a one-off project that you complete and forget. It takes continuing vigilance and an accessibility-first approach to platform and content development. Otherwise, improvements you make will be undone over time.If you use a third-party e-learning platform or rely on e-learning vendors for course design and development, you’ll need to engage with them to achieve your accessibility objectives. If you do any of this in-house, you’ll need to update your own software standards, guidelines, and checklists, and educate your software engineers and learning designers to put accessibility front and center.There’s certainly a lot to get right when it comes to e-learning accessibility. But that doesn’t mean it needs to be painful. Help exists to make the complex more controllable and achievable. I hope I’ve inspired you to get started.

E-Learning for Everyone: How to Address Accessibility

In the business world, the impact of exceptional leadership is undeniable. Great leaders inspire innovation, foster collaboration, and drive organizations toward success. But what separates good leaders from truly great ones? The answer lies in a commitment to continuous learning.Great leadership is not static. It’s an evolving process that thrives on curiosity, adaptability, and growth. By embracing lifelong learning, leaders sharpen their skills, inspire their teams, and set a powerful example for the organization. Let’s explore how continuous learning shapes remarkable leaders and creates an environment where leadership can thrive.The Core Traits of a Great LeaderLeadership begins with the right mindset. While different industries may emphasize unique skills, certain traits universally define great leaders and are often enhanced by continuous learning:Vision: Leaders with a clear, compelling vision motivate teams to work toward a shared goal. They provide a roadmap that aligns organizational efforts, and continuous learning allows leaders to refine this vision as industries and markets evolve.Empathy: Understanding and addressing the needs of team members fosters trust and strengthens relationships. Learning fosters empathy by exposing leaders to diverse perspectives and experiences.Decisiveness: The ability to make informed, timely decisions often comes from staying well-informed through ongoing education.Integrity: Ethical behavior and trustworthiness are the cornerstones of great leadership. Continuous learning in ethics and accountability ensures leaders maintain high standards.Adaptability: In a world of constant change, the willingness to learn and pivot is essential.When leaders exemplify these traits, they inspire confidence and loyalty among their teams, setting the stage for sustained success.How Does Continuous Learning Empower Leadership?Great leaders never stop learning. They understand that staying informed and adaptable is vital in an ever-evolving business landscape. Organizations can promote continuous learning by:Providing access to leadership training and development programsEncouraging upskilling to foster further growth in employees’ careersPersonalizing training programs to meet the specific needs of each employeeThis might sound like a lot to keep track of, but with tools like AI-driven skills development, L&D, HR, sales, IT, support, product teams—any team—can easily manage their entire organization’s learning program on just one platform.Other Strategies for Driving Innovation in Your TeamEncourage leaders to take risks.Risk-taking is often a hallmark of groundbreaking leadership, but in many organizations, the fear of failure can limit a team’s success. It’s important to urge leaders to use calculated risk-taking and experimentation when innovating new solutions. If leaders feel comfortable exploring new ideas without fearing failure, they allow their creativity to shine. Innovative leaders drive industries forward by learning from their mistakes and envisioning possibilities others might overlook. Businesses that encourage this mindset often stay ahead of the curve.Inspire collaboration among leadership teams.Even the most talented leaders cannot achieve greatness alone. Open communication and shared goals are key. By encouraging each executive to bring their unique perspective to the table, leaders can learn from each other’s diverse strengths and viewpoints to enhance decision making. A collaborative leadership team amplifies the strengths of individual leaders, creating a cohesive unit that can tackle almost any challenge effectively.Promote diversity in leadership.Equally important is fostering diversity within leadership teams. A variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives offer limitless learning possibilities that lead to a broader understanding of different customer needs. Diverse leadership teams are fundamental to innovation, particularly in the tech sector, which has historically been hampered by cultural blind spots. If you want a solution to work around the world for all sorts of people, you need all sorts of diverse people to be its co-architects.Leadership That Inspires SuccessGreat leadership begins with an open mind and an unrelenting desire to grow. By embracing continuous learning, leaders not only refine their skills but also inspire their teams to follow suit. Organizations that foster a culture of curiosity and growth unlock the potential of their leaders—driving innovation, resilience, and success.In the end, the best leaders are lifelong learners. They inspire by example, adapt to change, and cultivate environments where learning is celebrated. By investing in continuous learning, companies lay the foundation for leadership that empowers and endures.

Continuous Learning Creates Unstoppable Leaders

Blended learning is proving to be an effective development strategy. According to ATD Research, 75 percent of organizations are expanding their use of blended learning, and 87 percent of employees value the flexibility it provides.This ATD Research whitepaper explains that implementing a successful blended learning program takes a variety of skills. Furthermore, both internal and external organizational resources need to be balanced.How to do that successfully depends on the organizational context as well as how to motivate your teams. Motivate Your AudienceWhat motivates adults to learn? Clearly, there are different learning theories out there. Everyone has a unique mix of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors. These factors range from perceived reward and social or contextual influences to the quality and flexibility of available training.The UK’s innovation agency for social good, Nesta, details how to design a program to meet your audience’s readiness levels. For example, if you have a group in the precontemplation stage with no interest in learning, you can promote a change in cultural norms.Blended learning can be particularly useful for this type of audience because you can emphasize the “fun” aspect. Gaming experiences or book clubs for greater team bonding are some examples. As mentioned in our blog about why companies are moving toward blended learning, another powerful motivator is to integrate learning into the flow of work. The more people see relevance and the less it disrupts their work, the more they’ll appreciate the learning.Other ideas to motivate your teams to engage with learning:Self-driven blended learning – With multiple learning approaches, it’s easier to let learners lead so they feel empowered. Only then does true curiosity and learning blossom.Digital and leadership champions – Not everyone will have the same digital literacy so it’s important to provide the right guidance. Moreover, make sure you get buy-in and advocacy from your leaders.Career guidance and coaching interventions – Learning needs to be as beneficial for the organization as it is for the individual. With coaches, individuals can better align their personal goals and needs to the overall organizational learning goals.How Does Context Play a Role?Implementing a successful learning program is both about the content and the organizational learning culture.Promoting a learning culture and implementing blended learning encourages flexibility and innovation because of exposure to various learning modalities. As such, people find themselves becoming more curious and they feel empowered as they choose what works for them. Not only do they bring this energy and mindset back to the workplace but they also bring new perspectives. As this article on blended learning and learning culture describes, blended learning offers varied viewpoints and different problem-solving approaches that also nurtures greater diversity.Book clubs are another transformational activity because they create a group setting that boosts collaboration and reflection as detailed in this whitepaper on what separates good teams from exceptional ones. How blended learning supports a learning culture and vice versa:Continuous improvement – With small continuous feedback loops and incremental steps, learners gradually shift their mindset to bring this approach to their everyday work.Knowledge sharing and collaboration – Through blended learning, various groups and forums are created, which naturally encourages cross-learning. As this behavior becomes instilled, conflict shifts into a natural sharing of ideas rather than a competition over who is right.Personalization alongside team focus – How to balance individual with team needs is a constant paradox. Blended learning provides another opportunity to explore this balance, which shifts mindsets back in the workplace.Maximize Your Blended Learning EffortsGone are the days of reading out slides to people in classrooms with the hope that they will improve their day-to-day work. With technology, we have an opportunity to make learning fun, personal, and relevant.Most importantly, blended learning creates a more memorable and meaningful learning experience. It also encourages collaboration and innovation because of the varied multimedia methodologies now available.Don’t forget to watch the ATD webinar recording with more tips for how to apply blended learning effectively. To learn is to evolve and embrace life, so let’s keep moving forward in how we learn.

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